Cameroon Tourist Visa for Indians 2026: Fees & Requirements

Before you start your Cameroon visa application, make sure you have these essentials ready:

• Passport valid for at least 6 months from your travel dates with 2 blank pages
• Two recent passport-size photos (35mm x 45mm, white background)
• Online application and fee payment via the official portal evisacam.cm
• Yellow fever vaccination certificate (valid for life, at least 10 days old)
• Bank statement less than 3 months old showing sufficient funds
• Confirmed flight reservation to and from Cameroon
• Hotel booking for your stay, or an invitation letter from your host
• Travel insurance covering the whole trip (recommended)
• A credit or debit card, or MTN and Orange Mobile Money, to pay online
• Time set aside to visit the Embassy of Cameroon in New Delhi in person

The key thing to know about Cameroon is that despite the name "e-visa", Indian applicants cannot get a fully paperless visa — because Cameroon has a diplomatic mission in India, you complete the online application and pay the fee at evisacam.cm, and then must visit the Embassy of Cameroon in New Delhi (D-98, Anand Niketan) for biometric enrolment and to collect the visa sticker in your passport. There is no visa on arrival for Indians under any circumstances, and airlines will deny boarding without a valid visa. The good news: processing takes just 72 hours, the approval rate for Indian applicants is about 92 per cent (2024 data), and the yellow fever certificate — mandatory for entry — is issued free at Indian government vaccination centres.

Important: All Cameroon visa fees are non-refundable, regardless of the application outcome. The short-stay visa fee is $181.82 (approximately ₹15,455), the 24-hour express short-stay visa is $272.73 (₹23,182), and the long-stay visa is also $272.73. A transit visa is free for stays up to 4 days and costs $181.82 above that. Payments are made online through evisacam.cm with a MasterCard, debit card, or MTN and Orange Mobile Money.

• Africa in miniature — and it really is. Cameroon packs active volcanoes, Atlantic beaches, dense rainforest, mountain gorilla country and Sahel savanna into one country the size of two Indias side by side. Within a week you can climb a 4,095-metre volcano, swim at a waterfall that pours straight into the ocean, and photograph elephants in a national park — landscapes that most travellers spread across three countries.
• Mount Cameroon — West Africa's highest peak. This active volcano rises from the Atlantic coast near Buea and Limbe, and climbing it is one of Africa's great treks. You do not need to summit to enjoy it — guided day hikes to the crater at Hut 1 (about 2,200 metres) pass through volcanic moonscapes and cloud forest with views over the ocean.
• Wildlife safaris without the crowds. Waza National Park in the north is Cameroon's answer to the Serengeti — lions, elephants, giraffes and antelopes in the dry season, with a fraction of East Africa's tourists. The Dja Faunal Reserve (a UNESCO site) protects pristine rainforest, and Korup National Park holds some of Africa's oldest primary forest.
• Beaches and waterfalls on the Gulf of Guinea. Kribi's Lobe Falls pour directly into the Atlantic Ocean — you can swim in the river just above the falls — and Limbe's black-sand beaches sit beneath Mount Cameroon's slopes. The coastline is raw, tropical and largely undiscovered by mass tourism.

A deep, complex culture. From the royal palace and bronze-casting crafts of Foumban to the market cities of Douala and Yaoundé, Cameroon's 250 ethnic groups make it one of the most culturally rich countries in Africa. The Bamoun, Fulani and Beti traditions, the colourful chiefdom courts of the west, and the friendly French-and-English street life make every region feel like a different country.

Indian citizens who want to visit Cameroon for tourism, holidays, or to visit family and friends apply for a short-stay visa — the same category covers tourism, business meetings, conferences and family visits, since Cameroon does not issue a separate business visa. The visa allows stays of up to 6 months, is available as single or multiple entry at the same fee, and is processed in 72 hours.

You must complete the online pre-registration at evisacam.cm and then collect your visa sticker in person at the Embassy of Cameroon in New Delhi. This two-stage process applies to ALL visa types for Indian applicants — tourist, business, long-stay and transit — because India hosts a Cameroonian diplomatic mission. Biometric enrolment (fingerprints and photo) is mandatory at the embassy, and the sticker is only valid for air entry through Douala (DLA) and Yaoundé (NSI) airports.

The officer assesses whether you genuinely intend a temporary visit and will leave Cameroon on time. A return ticket, hotel booking, a bank statement less than 3 months old, and a yellow fever certificate build the file; the strong ties to India that matter for Schengen visas are less scrutinised here, but your financial situation and purpose of visit are still checked.

For the full document list, eligibility details and all visitor categories, see the main Cameroon visa guide.

The visa fee is the same regardless of trip length — what changes is how much bank balance you show and whether you choose single or multiple entry.

Getting your Cameroon tourist visa does not require obscure paperwork. Most of what you need is standard for any international trip:

·        Passport — valid for at least 6 months from your date of entry, with at least 2 blank pages. The same rule applies to any older passports you hold.

·        Passport photos — Two recent colour photos, 35mm x 45mm, white background, full face visible. The same prints used for any Schengen application work here.

·        Flight reservation — A confirmed round-trip booking showing entry to and exit from Cameroon. A hold or dummy reservation from an agent works for the application — do not pay for tickets before approval.

·        Hotel bookings — Confirmed reservations for every night of your stay, or an invitation letter from the family or friends you are visiting.

·        Bank statement — Less than 3 months old, showing a balance that plausibly covers your stay. A sponsor's statement works if the sponsor writes a covering letter.

·        Yellow fever certificate — Mandatory for entry, valid for life after vaccination, and must be at least 10 days old at travel. Get it free at a government vaccination centre or privately.

·        Travel insurance — Recommended, with medical cover including evacuation, since hospitals outside Douala and Yaoundé are basic. Not mandatory, but strongly advised.

Cover letter — Not mandatory for tourists, but a brief letter stating your purpose, itinerary, accommodation and return plans strengthens the file and answers questions the officer might otherwise ask. Business visitors need a letter of introduction from their Cameroonian partner, legalized by Immigration or Police; students need enrolment certificates; minors need parental authorization.

If you are visiting family or friends — Include an invitation letter from your host, legalized by the local police in Cameroon, which serves as your proof of accommodation. Hosts can arrange this through business networks, expat communities or hotel concierge services if needed.

The Cameroon visa application is a two-stage process: online pre-registration and fee payment on evisacam.cm, followed by an in-person visit to the Embassy of Cameroon in New Delhi for biometrics and the visa sticker. Here is the compressed step-by-step:

1.      Confirm your visa type first — short-stay (up to 6 months, tourism and business), long-stay (up to 1 year) or transit. Single and multiple entry cost the same.

2.      Create an account on the official portal evisacam.cm — beware of lookalike sites; this is the only official Cameroon e-visa platform, launched 30 April 2023.

3.      Fill in the online application — passport details, travel dates, accommodation and purpose, then upload your passport scan, photo and supporting documents. The form is in English or French.

4.      Pay the fee online — $181.82 (₹15,455) short-stay standard, $272.73 express or long-stay, by MasterCard, debit card or MTN and Orange Mobile Money. Keep the receipt.

5.      Receive approval within 72 hours (or 24 with express) — the portal issues a QR-code authorization that you must take to the embassy.

6.      Visit the Embassy of Cameroon in New Delhi (D-98, Anand Niketan) — walk-in during working hours with your passport, QR code and original documents for biometric enrolment and visa sticker collection. This step is mandatory and cannot be skipped.

7.      Fly to Douala or Yaoundé with the sticker in your passport — biometrics are collected again at airport immigration, so arrive in good time.

Expert tip: Cameroon's 72-hour processing clock starts after your application is complete and paid, so submit on a Monday or Tuesday to avoid weekend gaps. Plan the embassy visit at least 1-2 weeks before departure, and apply 2-3 weeks ahead in total — the yellow fever certificate needs 10 days before travel anyway, which sets the minimum timeline for every applicant.

The sweet spot for Indian tourists is November-February — the dry season, when Waza National Park's wildlife gathers around waterholes and the weather across the country is warm and settled. The southern coast is enjoyable year-round, while the far north is best visited in the cool dry months. Apply for your visa 2-3 weeks before travel, and up to a month ahead if you travel in December-January.

Assuming a visa on arrival exists. Cameroon does not offer visa on arrival for Indians under any circumstances — you must hold a valid visa sticker before boarding, and airlines will deny boarding without it. Do not rely on any third-party website claiming otherwise.

Skipping the embassy visit. The Cameroon "e-visa" is not fully paperless for Indian applicants — the online application at evisacam.cm must be followed by an in-person visit to the Embassy of Cameroon in New Delhi for biometrics and the visa sticker. Travellers who expect a printable email visa arrive at the airport without a sticker and are refused boarding.

Missing the yellow fever certificate. A valid yellow fever vaccination certificate is mandatory for entry and is checked both at the visa stage and at immigration on arrival. The certificate must be at least 10 days old — get vaccinated at least 2 weeks before your flight, free at government centres.

Carrying a stale or thin bank statement. Cameroon requires a bank statement less than 3 months old, and officers notice statements that are months out of date or balances that do not match your declared income. Use the most recent month, and avoid sudden large deposits — a stable balance of ₹2-3 lakh for a 10-day trip is comfortable.

Booking non-refundable flights too early. The visa fee is non-refundable and approvals, though fast, are not guaranteed. Use a hold or dummy reservation for the application, and only buy real tickets after your sticker is collected.

Paying a third-party website. Lookalike portals charge double or triple the official $181.82 fee and sometimes never deliver. The only official route is evisacam.cm, and the only embassy is in New Delhi — anything else is a scam or a middleman charging extra for the same process.

Douala is the lively gateway. Cameroon's economic capital buzzes with energy — the Marché Central heaves with fabrics, spices and carved masks, the Grand Mosque anchors the old quarter, and the Wouri riverfront comes alive at dusk. The food scene is superb: grilled fish (poisson braisé) with plantains and the national dish ndolé, a bitter-leaf stew with peanuts, at prices that make Indian wallets happy.

Yaoundé is green, hilly and calm. Cameroon's capital sits on seven hills, with the National Museum, the Benedictine Museum of art and the Mvog-Betsi Zoo tucked among flowering gardens. The Reunification Monument marks the union of English and French Cameroon, and the city's artisans sell some of the best crafts in Central Africa.

Mount Cameroon and Limbe reward the adventurous. The 4,095-metre volcano is a proper trek with crater views over the Atlantic, and Limbe below it offers black-sand beaches, the Limbe Wildlife Centre with rescued primates, and a botanical garden. The Mount Cameroon Race of Hope, an annual footrace up and down the volcano, is one of Africa's great sporting spectacles.

The beaches of Kribi are pure magic. Lobe Falls pour from a river straight over the cliff and into the Atlantic — you can swim in the freshwater pool just above the drop. Kribi's palm-lined beaches and seafood shacks make it the perfect end to a safari or volcano trip.

And Waza National Park delivers the safari dream. In the dry season, lions, elephants, giraffes and roan antelopes gather around the park's waterholes, and the crowds are a fraction of Kenya's parks. The drive north through the Mandara Mountains and the rock villages of Rhumsiki is a journey through one of Africa's most photogenic landscapes.

Currency: Cameroon uses the Central African CFA franc (XAF), pegged to the euro at 1 EUR = 655.957 XAF — roughly ₹1,700 per 10,000 francs. Carry euros or US dollars to exchange at banks and hotels, withdraw from Ecobank and Afriland ATMs in cities, and carry small notes for markets. Cards are accepted in upscale hotels and supermarkets only.

Connectivity: Buy a local SIM at Douala or Yaoundé airport — MTN and Orange offer tourist data packages for around ₹1,000-1,500. Wi-Fi is reliable in city hotels but patchy in national parks, so download offline maps before heading north.

Transport: City taxis are shared and cheap — negotiate before boarding, or use moto-taxis (bendskins) for short hops. Between cities, bush taxis and comfortable coaches link Douala, Yaoundé and the coast, while the domestic airline Camair-Co connects Douala, Yaoundé and the north. For Waza, hire a 4x4 with a driver in Maroua.

Food: Try ndolé (bitter-leaf peanut stew), poulet DG (chicken with plantains), achu (pounded cocoyam), brochettes and poisson braisé with plantain. French and Cameroonian cuisine dominate, spice levels are gentle, and street food is cheap and filling — eat at busy stalls for freshness.

Weather: The dry season (November-February) is the best time to travel — sunny, warm days across the country and the peak safari window. The rainy season (May-October) brings heavy afternoon downpours, especially in the south, but greener landscapes and lower prices. Pack light cotton clothes, a rain jacket for the south, mosquito repellent for malaria prevention, and modest clothing for markets and offices.

All trip costs include return flights from India (₹55,000-85,000), the visa fee (₹15,455), accommodation, food, transport and activities.

There are no non-stop flights between India and Cameroon — every route connects once or twice through an African or Gulf hub. Ethiopian Airlines via Addis Ababa is the most popular and usually the most competitive option, with good connections from Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru and Chennai. Emirates via Dubai, Turkish Airlines via Istanbul, Qatar Airways via Doha and Air France via Paris also serve Douala and Yaoundé. Return fares typically range from ₹55,000 to ₹85,000 depending on the season and route.